194 THEOUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



continents. Neither can the gray fox of the United States, 

 entirely unlcnown in north-western Canada, be considered as 

 their progenitor, as these varieties are conspicuous by their 

 absence wherever that species of fox predominates. I now 

 regret that during my long residence in the Indian country 

 I neglected to have the theory of fox origin practically tested, 

 but I hope the matter will eventually receive due attention. 



Doctor Armstrong mentions that one of the crew of the 

 Investigator saw a " black fox " on the shores of Baring Land 

 (island), near Cape Colquhoun, early in September, 1851. 

 Again, on November 11 of the same year, one of the men 

 observed another black fox on the ice, about a mile from the 

 ship, then wintering in Mercy Bay, latitude 76° north. He 

 further says that there was no previous record of the appear- 

 ance of this animal so far north, but that its existence there 

 could not be questioned. It may be asked in vain, Were 

 these foxes but one and the same individual twice seen, or 

 were they indigenous, or a pair of recent stragglers from 

 the continent? With the exception of the blue and white 

 foxes (Vulpes lagoTpus and Vulpes fuliginosa), of which all 

 Arctic explorers make frequent mention, I believe these are 

 the only recorded instances of any species of fox having been 

 observed on the lands situated to the north of the American 

 Continent. 



In course of fifteen years' residence at Eort Chipewyan, 

 Lake Athabasca, the Indians brought me five litters of young 

 foxes. Until they were several months old it was very diffi- 

 cult to determine the variety to which they belonged. The 

 red first declared itself. Two of the litters (five and seven 

 cubs, respectively) were all red, as was their mother; two 

 were all cross (mothers were cross), five cubs each; and the 

 fifth consisted of one red, one very fine, and three fair cross 

 foxes, from a red female. I would remark that they were suc- 

 cessively kept within a small, closely-stockaded yard adjoin- 

 ing the office building at Fort Chipewyan. At first each litter 

 was placed in a small wooden kennel, and they were very 



